yayayayay

Got an email recently:
Hi Helen & Eric,
Thanks so much for sending this through. Looks great!

Also wanted to let you know that DJ and I are engaged! We will be marrying
in HK on Monday 1st October, most likely in the midst of the slums,
surrounded by the nations represented through clothing, culture and cuisine!

Upholding you guys ... not long to go now!
Much love,
Liz


WOOHOO!!!
Liz and DJ are ENGAGED!!!
YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!!!
WOOHOO!!!
YAY!

AAAGH we have so many wedding invites still to hand out. I am disorganised. Today I went to my physio in Wollongong. Yes that is right...2.5 hours away. Did I mention she is totally brilliant though.

People we saw yesterday at Westfield whilst buying Paint...

Skye,
Ali and her friend,
James Forest Gilmore,
Glennoes,
Noodles,
James and Kate,
Tristan

I miss Richmond. I wish I could transport myself back to our house and go for a walk through the Park, down the Terrace Gardens and along the Thames. I guess that's the flip side of moving around the world, the melancholy feeling you have when thinking about somewhere you love and realizing you will never again be living where you once did and are now in a different place.

latitude 4°17'40.13"N
longitude 73°33'28.25"E
google earth it!

I refuse to drive to Fairy Meadow. So I am catching the train...all up it will take me over 7 hours there and back. Not counting my actual physio appointment.

photos

I cannot express how thankful I am and the awesomeness that God has put Eric in my life.
It's so funny, even now we still say to each other how awesome it is that we hooked up and I go "man, how were we friends for so long, why didn't we go out earlier?!!!".
Then he reminds me that I wasn't available earlier and then when we admitted our feelings and talked about getting married I said I still wasn't ready to date him yet so he patiently waited for me...until I got fed up with him not making a move and kissed him in frustration!
Anyway I am rambling on.
When we got pizza this evening Eric put it in the tray so that it wouldn't make the truck smell on the way home! Ha ha ha. His (and my!) new truck is SOOOO cool and I love having to use the step to get in and being up high.
In the morning we head up to Fingal Bay with Noodles to meet Claire, Jamie, Jane, Mum and Dad there. We are staying until Monday. Our plans switched around so we got our errands done today instead of Monday which means we have three days of holiday now woohoo!

THANKS GOD for sending Jesus so that we might be Your people again and bring You glory.

We bought a ute today! It's a 4x4 dual cab turbo diesel Nissan Navara and Glennoes is gonna love it as much as he likes wearing pink. We got dual airbags, remote central locking and fog lights and a sweet tray cover to protect the base and sides and they threw in free driving lights, bull bar and tow bar!
It is SWEEEEET!
We pick it up in about 14 days and trade in Eric's suby but the ute is registered in my name (nice!).
This is the exact model and colour...



Si and Bel had their engagement party today. It was awesome but cold and wet!!! All Jill's family were there plus all our Bappo friends and our UK family so it was like heaps of people we knew in one place which was great. The rain meant it was moved to St James. About 100 people came yay.

Yesterday Eric and I had a nice lunch together after we trekked to the invitation place forgetting it's opening hours and arriving to find it closed.....again! We went ute hunting, test drove one, stopped at the Moodys to show them the truck (Mood's niece and nephew were down from QLD), voted, bought gellatissimo and went to Bangalla with some bambinos. Then we headed to Eric's via woolies and hung out watching Richie Rich. Moods came over and the three of us chatted until late. It was good to see him again.

I AM SO EXCITED WOOHOO!!!

But even MORE exciting, I get to marry the love of my life. And right now he is cooking Bacon and Eggs for breakfast mmmmm. Kelly is hoping to get some bacon.

ALSO REALLY EXCITING...
Jamma and Jane arrive on Monday WOOHOO!!! AND SO DOES MUM YAY! GrandmaJo is still in hospital but J&J have decided to still come on their first Aussie visit and Mum is flying back with them...Dad has missed her so much so I'm glad she is only 24 hours away now.

HONEYMOON!

We booked our honeymoon!!! YAY!!! SO EXCITED WOOHOO! Last week we had no idea where we were going for it. Now we are counting the days until we're there!




We are going to spend ten nights in an overwater villa at Soneva-Gili & Six Senses Spa (which takes up Lankanfushi island) in the Maldives. We get to have a candlelit dinner and massages yay. It's 20 minutes speedboat from Male.

Our villa has a rooftop sun deck with day bed, an over water sundeck with loungers and a loungeroom with daybeds. There is also a King sized bed. We will be doing alot of lazing around woohoo :) (Above is a pic of the villa - I think you could live in them!) Soneva-Gili was the first resort in the Maldives to have only over-water villa accommodation. In fact some of the residences are not attached to the island by anything (not even a jetty) and have a little boat to get around. There are only 44 so it won't be a busy place.

Soneva-gili & Six Senses Spa

Eric couldn't stop grinning this evening and neither could I...it's going to be SO fun! We are staying in a Sydney hotel for two nights before going - it would suck to have to check out and take off the day after the wedding - we'll be glad of a slow, chilled Sunday before flying Monday. We land the same day but on the way back we fly out Thursday week and arrive in Sydney on the Friday - it gives us the weekend to settle into things back at home before work/TAFE recommences - I am glad we are staying in my house and not moving because it makes things SO much less stressful and familiar for us.

Today I woke up and watched some foxtel before heading to kam's.

Then I did some wedding shopping and got my sis a housewarming present (she has just bought her first home and moved in). I met Eric and we got some more wedding stuff done before going home. We agreed a few weeks ago that we would not get each other stuff for Valentines day and would save our pennies - I had actually bought him a couple of shirts back in December and since we were only allowed to spend $5 on each other at Christmas, I had needed to come up with an excuse to get them for him so I'd said they could be my early V day present to him (it was the nearest celebration day to December)!

Anyway at home today Eric presented me with a box that had writing on it saying "143" and "I love". It is 143 days until the wedding. Inside eric had cut out 143 pieces of paper with different sentences typed on them that go after "I love...". It was amazing. He also wrote a beautiful card. I was speechless for Helen (which means I talked a little less). I thought all the post it notes he leaves on my front door was incredible but he never ceases to amaze with his thoughtfulness, creativity and love. I will keep that box always.

After that we organised wedding things, prepared the vegies/bbq for dinner and talked. Then I thought it would be great to visit Claire and give her the present...I tried to message her without giving away that we would be visiting...she was about to eat dinner so my idea to bring our dinner with us and share it with her wasn't going to work and instead we packed up some icecream and a punnet of blueberries and drove over to surprise her. It was great to hang out with her and to get from home to parking at Claire's place in parramatta took only 18 minutes without speeding.

Earlier in the evening Eric revealed that he had organised something for me before we made the "no valentines" pact...in March he is taking me to the ballet to see Swan Lake!!!!! I LOVE the ballet - it is one of my fav. things ever - even more wonderful than opera and I love to go see it with my family at Christmas (it's sort of a tradition for us) or just taking myself along to watch it when I'm in London and when I was growing up we would go about 4 times a year thanks to this awesome student and parents deal we got. I absolutely was stunned and excited and was blown away at Eric's thoughtfulness and generosity and I cannot wait to go and to share it with him. He has seen one ballet before - the Nutcracker. He knows how much I love it and it was a beautiful surprise. I am SO SO SO excited!!!

In the midst of Grandmajo sadness, that was a great evening.

they think grandmajo has been holding on until mum's plane landed and she could say goodbye. mum and dad thankfully have made it to the hospital. grandmajo now has pneumonia as well and things don't look good. mum had me send photos of eric and i via email. i sent one of her and dad when they first started dating.

eric and i are going to the stewards to hang out with claire and ed. then we're heading to gezza's to meet azza (which will be interesting because she has heard all about us (so she told erns) and i know little about her). then we've got evening service at our new church! claire, eric and i all stayed at bangalla last night so we could be together and keep informed.

yesterday eric and i went to a long coffee with nat and rich. then they came to bangalla for dinner and we watched the notebook on dvd. afterwards nat made us all apple crumble. when they went home c, e and i watched our cousin's funny you tube vids.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eWzDC06L8k

amazing present

(Skip this bit if you know the dream...On May 25th Eric woke up having had a dream that we got married and rode off on camels in the snow. He told me about the dream and I responded by saying "no camels and definitely no snow". Eric replied "disappointed" to which I said "I never said there wouldn't be a wedding". That's how it started and 10 weeks later we were engaged.)

So weeks ago Eric said he had a surprise for me. Not the dinner/dance cruise...ANOTHER surprise (this boy is a true romantic!). It was being made. Later he said the people making the surprise had to send it to another person to help make it. Then after it had gone back to the original people and was going to be sent to Eric, he had them change something he didn't like...All this time I was waiting for the surprise having NO idea what it was and extremely curious. Occassionally I completely forgot there was even something coming. Anyway today it arrived and Eric came around to present me with his gift carefully rolled in a plastic tube...(excuse the white flecks from the flash)

An original oil painting on canvas of camels in the snow in front of a church!
Very cool. So now whenever people come over they will be extremely curious as to our odd painting subjects and we will always remember how we ended up together.

may we always be in love like this

rock climbing

the engagement photos

The Boyle/Steward family : )

 

The wedding party!

The girls before we walk down the aisle

About to go...

One last photo : )

Psalm 73

When my heart was grieved
and my spirit embittered,

I was senseless and ignorant;
I was a brute beast before you.

Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.

You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.

Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.

Those who are far from you will perish;
you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.

But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge;
I will tell of all your deeds.

Plea

Lord, come with Your fire,
Burn my desires, refine me

Refine Me

I come into this place burning to receive your peace
I come with my own chains
From wars I've fought for my own selfish gain
You're my God and my Father
I've accepted your Son
But my soul feels so empty now
What have I become?

Lord come with Your fire,
Burn my desires refine me
Lord, my will has deceived me
Please come and free me
Refine me, refine me

My heart can't see
When I only look at me
My soul can't hear
When I only think of my own fears
They are gone in a moment
You're forever the same
Why did I look away from You
How can I speak Your name?

Lord, come with Your fire,
Burn my desires, refine me
Lord, my will has deceived me
Please come and free me
Come rescue this child
For I long to be reconciled to You
Refine me... All I can do
Is lift my heart and soul to You
And pray, oh I will pray...

Lord come with Your fire,
Burn my desires refine me

Refine me, refine me


Jennifer Knapp

There's a place in the darkness that I used to cling to
It presses harsh hope against time
In the absence of martyrs there's a presence of thieves
Who only want to rob you blind
They steal away any sense of peace
Though I'm a king I'm a king on my knees
And I know they are wrong when they say I am strong
As the darkness covers me

So turn on the light and reveal all the glory
I am not afraid
To bare all my weakness knowing in meekness
I have a kingdom to gain
Where there is peace and love in the light, in the light
Oh I am not afraid
To let Your light shine bright in my life, in my life
Oh I... am, I...

There are ghosts from my past who've owned more of my soul
Than I thought I had given away
They linger in closets and under my bed
And in pictures less proudly displayed
A great fool in my life I have been
Have squandered till pallid and thin
Hung my head in shame and refused to take blame
For darkness I know I've let win

So turn on the light and reveal all the glory
I am not afraid
To bare all my weakness knowing in meekness
I have a kingdom to gain
Where there is peace and love in the light, in the light
Oh I am not afraid
To let Your light shine bright in my life, in my life

Can you hear me?
Well I've never been much for the baring of soul
In the presence of any man
I'd rather keep to myself all safe and secure
In the arms of a sinner I am
Could it be that my worth should depend
By the crimson stained grace on a hand
And like a lamp on a hill Lord I pray in Your will
To reveal all of You that I can

There's a place in the darkness that I used to cling to
It presses harsh hope against time...

What I get up to with Si and Russell : )

the great I Am

You know what, there is not a word in the English language - or any language for that matter - that can sufficiently describe how awesome/great/powerful/mighty/wonderful our God is. His mercy and faithfulness blows my mind. His holiness I cannot fathom.

That He invites me to His banquet is incredible.

How could anyone refuse Him?

And yet despite knowing all this I turn my back on Him time and time again each day.

"This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did."
1 John


"But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man's sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.
Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Romans 5

Thankyou Jesus

scar

My kickboxing injury has healed...
but yesterday I remembered it and had a look and...
I have a scar!

AWESOME!

I should hope so after the way I hit the concrete! I think it makes me pretty hardcore. Ha ha ha.

desire

this is still my desire

Transforming

I am happy. Not totally - like there are always things that worry me, stress me or get me sad and I am sure that will continue to be the case whilst I live in this world - parts of life and of myself that are not perfect and make me down. But seriously, there is so much to be thankful for and life is exciting and God is going to make me into a reflection of His Son.

Praise to YOU Jesus. May YOU have all the GLORY. I can offer nothing save for my life but that I glady give You.

this is still my desire

Hosea

I really like Hosea. It is so awful the way that Israel/we turn from the Lord and sin. When I read of our continued disobedience and His unfailing love and compassion for His children I am moved to tears. I love the way that you can compare Hosea marrying this woman who commits adultery and is not faithful to him and yet he takes her in and loves her to the way God loves His people despite their unfaithfulness. It is amazing that the Lord would bring His disobedient people back to Himself when they turn and repent. Sinning against the Lord has the worst of consequences but if we would only fall at His feet in repentance and ask forgiveness He will remember our sins no more.

I love the line "For I am God, and not man".

Hosea 11:1-11
"When Israel was a child, I loved him,
and out of Egypt I called my son.

But the more I called Israel,
the further they went from me.
They sacrificed to the Baals
and they burned incense to images.

It was I who taught Ephraim to walk,
taking them by the arms;
but they did not realize
it was I who healed them.

I led them with cords of human kindness,
with ties of love;
I lifted the yoke from their neck
and bent down to feed them.

"Will they not return to Egypt
and will not Assyria rule over them
because they refuse to repent?

Swords will flash in their cities,
will destroy the bars of their gates
and put an end to their plans.

My people are determined to turn from me.
Even if they call to the Most High,
he will by no means exalt them.

"How can I give you up, Ephraim?
How can I hand you over, Israel?
How can I treat you like Admah?
How can I make you like Zeboiim?
My heart is changed within me;
all my compassion is aroused.

I will not carry out my fierce anger,
nor will I turn and devastate Ephraim.
For I am God, and not man—
the Holy One among you.
I will not come in wrath.

They will follow the LORD;
he will roar like a lion.
When he roars,
his children will come trembling from the west.

They will come trembling
like birds from Egypt,
like doves from Assyria.
I will settle them in their homes,"
declares the LORD.

Answer to the Prophets

Wow, it simply refers to the length of the books. Ha ha. I am going to read all the minor prophets this month.
I will start the major in April. In March I will do something different.
I think if I wrote a book it would be major not minor -> I can't say anything concisely.


(Editors Note: Minor Prophets:
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi )

In the Hebrew bible these are all one book!

Prophets

Why are they minor prophets? I mean, why are some major and some minor? Hmmm.

blue sky no mine

The sky is BLUE BLUE BLUE! It is BEAUTIFUL! Thanks God for blue sky!
I am going to vacuum my car once the sun goes down - it's too hot right now.
Okey doke, I'm going to put on a cd really loud and dance whilst I mop the floors.
I LOVE to dance! YAY! And yay for air conditioning so that you can dance when it's hot!

Arsenal

We have just lost our place in the Carling Cup final. : ( No comment!

Refine me.

Refine me

I come into this place,
Burning to receive your peace.
I come with my own chains
From wars I've fought for my own selfish gain.
You're my God and my Father
I've accepted Your Son.
But my soul feels so empty now,
What have I become?

Lord come with Your fire,
Burn my desires, refine me.
Lord my will has deceived me,
Please come and free me, refine me.

My heart can't see,
When I only look at me.
My soul can't hear,
When I only think of my own fears.
They are gone in a moment,
You're forever the same.
Why did I look away from You?
How can I speak your name?

Lord come with Your fire,
Burn my desires, refine me.
Lord my will has deceived me,
Please come and free me.
Come rescue this child,
For I long to be reconciled to You.

It's all I can do
To give my heart and soul to You.
And pray, and pray, oh I will pray.

Lord come with your fire,
Burn my desires, refine me.
Lord my will has deceived me,
Please come and free me.
Come rescue this child,
For I long to be reconciled to You.

Refine me, refine me,
refine me, refine me.

Jennifer Knapp "Refine Me"